#749 Do Things That Don’t Scale

Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle

In this episode, Ian and Dan discuss the concept of doing things that don't scale, inspired by Paul Graham's influential article 'Do Things That Don't Scale.' They explore the idea of taking risks and gambling in entrepreneurship, and how it relates to increasing one's locus of control. The conversation covers various strategies for founders, including recruiting users manually, building something fragile, delighting users, focusing on experience, and niche marketing. In this conversation, Ian and Dan discuss Paul Graham's article 'Do Things That Don't Scale' and explore the principal themes and takeaways. They cover topics such as the idea of scaling, fabricating products yourself, consulting and acting as an anchor client, going manual and doing unscalable laborious tasks, the illusion of big launches and partnerships, vectors vs. scalars (ideas and execution), and the temptation to gamble and the importance of locus of control.

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Chapters
● (00:00:47) Introduction and Waking Up Early
● (00:01:58) The Concept of Taking Risks and Gambling
● (00:03:52) Introduction to Paul Graham and Y Combinator
● (00:05:37) The Importance of Doing Things That Don't Scale
● (00:10:00) Recruiting Users Manually
● (00:12:48) Building Something Fragile
● (00:20:48) Niche Marketing
● (00:23:02) The Facebook and the Idea of Scaling
● (00:24:53) Consulting and Acting as an Anchor Client
● (00:27:17) Going Manual and Doing Unscalable Laborious Tasks
● (00:30:08) The Illusion of Big Launches and Partnerships
● (00:34:54) Vectors vs. Scalars: Ideas and Execution
● (00:38:36) The Temptation to Gamble and the Importance of Locus of Control

Links:

• Paul Graham’s Article “Do Things That Don’t Scale”
• Lao Tzu - Philosophy

Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal

Additional episodes you might enjoy:

Three Phases to 1 Million in Revenue

Quiet Crypto, The Demand Question, and Difficult Decisions ft. Jordan Gal

“3 Million in Revenue is a Death Zone" - Financial Strategy with Greg Crabtree